momagri, movement for a world agricultural organization, is a think tank chaired by Christian Pèes.It brings together, managers from the agricultural world and important people from external perspectives, such as health, development, strategy and defense. Its objective is to promote regulationof agricultural markets by creating new evaluation tools, such as economic models and indicators,and by drawing up proposals for an agricultural and international food policy.

“Making agriculture a success”

November 2nd, 2015

The 37th North American – European Union Agricultural Policy Congress (NAEU 2015) was held in Belfast on 22nd to 23rd October. With over 300 delegation members from the US, Canada, Mexico and the European Union, this meeting was an opportunity to address the main challenges facing farmers on both sides of the Atlantic.

The most pressing issues were discussed, including the transatlantic partnership currently under negotiation as well as the consequences of the Russian embargo on milk and pork markets, for which the 500 million euro European crisis plan was considered inadequate by participants. As for the transatlantic partnership, though the majority of those present at the congress did not object to it being agreed, it represents a risk and must be guarded against by bringing together all the conditions to guarantee the future of farmers and European farmers in particular.

More generally, for Martin McGuinness, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, “the challenges we face clearly show the nature and structure of the industry, particularly its vulnerability to the volatility of the global market. And if the global crisis can be caused by factors beyond our control, their impact can be influenced and managed.”

And in particular, managed collectively; because regardless of the opinions of each participant at the 37th Congress, cooperation and collective governance were the common thread throughout this meeting. A refreshing advancement, in a context where many politicians insist on dismantling the mechanisms which are essential to farmers and who do not understand agricultural realities and do not recognize that agriculture is primarily strategic and specific and must be approached as such.

Improving global governance is no longer an option but a necessity for food security and agriculture. As momagri recommends, it could eventually be embodied in a Food Security Council which would coordinate the work of the concerned international institutions. However, without strong political will, without a real commitment from States to pursue these goals, without a collective awareness of the dangers of unregulated liberalism, the implementation of a global agricultural governance could prove to be particularly challenging.